JBlog: “New Labour Denies Rights to Agency Workers”

One word: shocking.

The current agency worker rights regieme is non-existant. Despite what the New Labour mandarins keep telling us, a so-called ‘flexible’ workforce is not good for the economy.  It is inherently insecure. It is usually some of the worst paid work in Britain – the average agency worker in London earns around £6.50 an hour. They are usually either forced or tricked into signing away their holiday and their protection under the European Working Time Directives (it’s shocking in and of itself that Blair had the balls to fight for the British opt-out in the first place).

Because of the precarious nature of temping, agency workers can’t even dream of getting a toe – never mind a whole foot – on the property ladder. They have very little  employment rights as it is.

Don’t get me wrong; temporary work in and of itself isn’t a bad thing. I’ve temped before and no doubt will temp again.

But employment agencies are shysters. They are tricksters, they are bullies, they are theives, they are incomptent buffons, only motivated by their desire for more profit or bigger bonuses or commission, every last one of them.  They simply cannot be trusted. If a recruitment consultant tells you it’s 3pm, check your watch. Not just to see how they lied but to see if it’s still there, too.

The ‘flexible labour force’ benefits capitalism – not the workers. Don’t be fooled otherwise.